The Republican journal., 1887-08-18

e4o feet; extreme length, 2564a feet; extreme
breadth, b feet depth from top of floors to top of
main deck beams, Isl. feet, and from base line,
20.o1 feet; mean draught, l4ta feet; displacement
at mean draught, 1,4s5 tons; indicated horse pow
cr, 30, speed, IL knoIs capacity of coal bunkers
80 tons, complement, 80 men, contract price,
Sil50u0. She has single screw, actuatcd by IL com
pound vertical direct acting engine, with one high
pressure and one low pressure cylinder. The
boilers are cylindrical, with an aggregate CRATE
surface Of 80 square feet. Her armament con-
sists of six inch steei-loopcd, breech loading
rifle, made at the Washington Navy Yard. 1t is
the first steel gun ever made in the United States.
Tho gun throws Il projcctilc of 100 pounds weight
which with charge of fifty pounds of powder, has
range of seven miles, and cost $10,000 The gun is
placed on the forward deck and works on pivot
commanding 4 range from nearly all points of the
compass. She has also, in arnored towers, four
rapid firing llotehkss guns, two each side, I.
bullet from which will penetrate two inches of
steel at 1000 yards. These guns can be directed
and discharged by one man with the accuracy of Il
hunting rife. \ stock is adjusted to the left
shoulder and after sighting the piece can be pull
ed off by the right hand applied to Il trigger ar
neeticut Yankee, who manufactures them in
France. Situated aft are two Calling guns which
fire 1900 shots per minute, and are effective at
short range in rcpcling boar,lers. On the for
castle are two small search guns.
The Dolphin is 1890 tons register, and has the
largest engine 10 her tonnage, of any vessel ailoat
She has steamed for nearly "a hours continuously
at the rate of IA knots an hour, and on occasions
has made % statute mes-a fraction over II knots
per hour. Her usual speed in cruising is u
knots. She is lighted throughout with electric
lights, and has a search sht that can illuminate
objects at Il long distance with the blillancy of
noon day.
The quarters of the commander aft and are
entered from Il house ON deck, Il portion of which
l. used as smoking room, and sometimes as Il
breakfast room, being furnished with table and
easy chairs. Descending you enter the main
cabin with which five rooms for the use of the
captain communicate. Here is large dining table,
and the usual conycniences. The tran
SONS on each side are upholstered and can be
Transformed into bertis similar to those in the
Pullman cars, curtains shutting them OF from the
saloon. A bath room with hot, cold and salt water
opens from the cabin. The war,,roon, occupied
". tiic IlHc blHtcIS, whose CABINS uDen
into it, is rnomy, convenient and tastcfully fit
ted up Lieut.. -ilibonc. who Introduced himself
Is "thc old maid' of the ship, has his cabin very
prettly adorned, and he makes himself so agree
able to visitors and is fine looking an officer
that we shall predict for him 4 speedy change of
title. "a Slice of the cake addressed journal
Belfast, Me- would reach us safely through the
mais.)
The berth deck, where the men sling their ham
'n"cks Is small and the men are much crowded es
l'ccially rs the crew now numbers l20, while the
regular complement is 80. Perfect ventilation is
secured, however, by an arrangement for pumping
out the viiatcd air, and which changes the atmos-
phcrc every three minutes. The men eat from
iabcs-the wood snow white from constant srour-
ng-nstca'l of spreading the mess cloth on the
leck formerly, and instead OF bags are provid-
sl with lockers for their clothing. These lockers
are inspected daily ON the berth deck is the en-
CINE which runs the dynamo for the electric light,
in charge OF one Of the scamen, who was instructed
for the duty by Lieut.. Mclean, the navigator of
he ship. Among the provisions for the men were
oavcs of fresh bread from the Belfast bakers,
apt. Wih!eS rcmarkins that when in port the
rev were always supplied with soft tack.
The interior Of the ship attracted attention by
is snowy Wilderness and rough finish, resembling
rough plasterng, and not Il trace of moisture was
seen anywhere. An iron steamer is naturally
lamp inside, the water standing in beads on the
amer s;iifacc. Capt. Wilde explained how this
IS obviated. A sizing is applied to the iron
md it is then coated with ground cork, and paint
d. The process is a perfect success, as visitors to
lie Dolphin can testify.
i'he snip is seered by steam and has three Ills
inci sets of steering apparatus. This is to suaId
'sains! accident in action. The compasscs are
tilustcd with large magnets which ncutralize the
attraction from the steel of which the ship is built.
Nn iron or steel vessel becomes in itself Il huge
which Will attract an ordinary compass so
Is TO render it useless Large iron balls are placed
'acl side the compass, which with the magnets be-
ore mentioned obvatc the difficulty. The size
mi location of the magnets, and the screens used
o shut OF the outside magnetic influences, are all
matters that are solved mathcmaticaly and Com.
Nildc'S description Of the compass was very in
crcstins. While on the bridge he also pointed out
he deep sea sounding apparatus, by which sound
hSs can be taken to Il depth Of 4 900 fathoms. 4
ine stee! wire is used, and when not in service it
5 kept in lime water. The lead, or weight, weighs
% pounds and is so constructed that it becomes
detached. OH reaching bottom. Capt. Wildes said
would be impossible to draw it to the surface
rom Il great depth, and that in hauling in, the
tcel wheel on which the wire is wound is some
INES crushed by the pressure. a small donkey
nginc is used to haul in the wire. Another
oun'lins apparatus can be used when the ship is
oins at full speed, and Capt. Widcs said that if
c had to rive II either Ills ,hrn
ounding apparatus he would give up the chro
ometcr. A glass tube, cascd in brass to prevent
reakng, is attached to the sounding line just
bovc the lead. The inside of this tube is coated
With chemical that turns a pink color when OK
osed to water, and the distance which the water
) forced up the tube gives the depth. This is as
early as the apparatus can be described by the
on professional.
The Dolphin has three mlstS with yards upon
nc foremost. The outside of the ship is Il creamy
'hitc. She is long, narrow and very sharp. In
ca she dives deeply and is very wet, as are all
asst vessels. The ships boats are marycs in their
'ay. She has two steam launches, built by Here
hon, that are capable of making great speed. One
Drmerly belonged to the Bear, one of the steamers
ngaged in the Greeley relief expedition. The
gig, the finest boat of the lot, is
'Ontler in finish and model. On each bow of all
he boats is giltled dolphin impaed on spear so
5 to form the letter "D" the initial of the ships
anne.
While in port the vessel was visited daily by
irge numbers OF our people. The two steam
lunches were constantly plying back and forth
ctwecn the ship anil wharf Friday afternoon
he steamer NJ. II NJ. was chartered and took on |
oard large excursion. The officers, from the !
commander down, were very courteous and did |
verything possible for the comfort of their visit |
rs. The Journal representatives are under special |
bligatiOns to Commander Wilde for courtesies re-
eivcd.
The following is roster of the ships officers
Commander, Geo. +. +. Wilde.
Lieut.. Charles o. Alibone, executive officer.
Lieut.. L. c. Mclean, navigator.
Lieut.. w. A. Marshall.
Lieut.. W. q. Cutler.
Ensign, J. Is. Cahoon.
Ensign, +. +. Lper.
+. A. Surgeon, J. H. Gaines
=. A. Paymaster, 5. G. Kerr.
Chief Engineer, a. W. Morley.
Friday evening reception was given the officers
Peirce s Parlor theatre, by the following young
'ntlemcn: Fred 4. Chase, RALPH Emery, Ralph
owes, +. +. Nichols, Ben Hazeltinc, II. l.. Wood.
'ck, j. ii. HOwes, W. II. Quimby, Geo. l. Heating
nd W. II. Marshall. large company assembled
I'd danced the following order: Waltz, Saratoga
ncers, promenade, waltz quadrille. quatlrille,